About half of the people in the United States (156 million) get their health insurance from their employer. As the payers of the largest share of non-government funded medical care, employers have a tremendous amount of power regarding how we access and use healthcare as well as our overall health.
Employers have a fiduciary responsibility to their employees. This means that companies are responsible for acting in the best interest of their employees with regard to benefits like healthcare and retirement.
As we have all seen, the cost of monthly medical insurance premiums and deductibles have been skyrocketing in the last few decades. Additionally, the health of the average American worker has never been worse. Both companies and individuals are facing bankruptcy at alarming rates due to healthcare expenditures.
Employers need to ask themselves if they have been fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities to their workers. I believe many have not.
Workers need around the clock access to broadly trained healthcare providers that treat the whole person. They need providers that are just as likely to recommend against expensive and potentially dangerous procedures as they are to recommend for them.
Employers need providers who understand the cost of medical care and can help them navigate the thriftiest way to achieve what is needed.
Right now, most employers and their workforce are at the mercy of a system with no price transparency that is incentivized to escalate care in a defensive manor. Employers essentially write a blank check every year, which they then pay back in the form of monthly premiums the following year.
It has become apparent to me that relying on politicians and government to fix our broken healthcare system is a mistake. Government has consistently served the corporations that make fortunes on preserving the status quo. Such corporations stand to lose big if models that incentivize prevention prevail.
Employers, you have the power to change our healthcare system. This starts with changing your behavior. A great way to put the brakes on out-of-control healthcare spending is by signing on with a direct primary care clinic.
Call Wonder Medicine today if you would like to hear more. We want to keep companies healthy both physically and financially.
Thanks for reading. When you are ready to consider alternatives, contact me. I would love to show you how much we care about our patients and your company’s financial viability.
Bill Brandenburg, MD
Phone: 208-342-1129
Email: Bill@wondermedicine.com
Wonder Medicine’s Longevity and Performance Program improves your lifespan and healthspan with a research-driven proactive program that focuses on the big picture of your health so you can perform at your highest potential.